The invention relates to a hardtop vehicle roof, which is movable between open and closed positions and which includes a front roof element and a rear roof element including side supports and a rear window, wherein, in the open position, both roof elements are contained in a storage space, and the rear window is a component which is movable independently of the side supports of the rear roof element.
Such a vehicle roof is known for example from German DE 196 39 504 A1. This publication shows a hardtop vehicle roof, which is movable between a closed position and two different open positions, a Targa position and a fully open position and which includes two movable roof elements which are disposed adjacent one another. The rear roof element carries a rear window. The two roof elements are independently pivotably supported on a lid, which covers the storage compartment for receiving the vehicle roof elements when the vehicle roof is in the open position.
In order to convert the hardtop vehicle roof to the Targa position, first the storage compartment lid is raised and the front roof segment is pivoted about its pivot axis to a position below the storage compartment lid. Then the storage compartment lid returns to its original position in which it covers the storage compartment. In a fully topless configuration of the vehicle also the rear roof element is pivoted about its pivot axis into a position below the storage compartment lid, that is, into the storage compartment.
DE 197 37 259 A1, which is considered to represent the state of the art, discloses a hardtop vehicle roof with front and rear roof elements. The front and rear roof elements are movable between a closed position and an open position. Iin the open position, that is the cabriolet position, both roof elements are disposed in a storage compartment behind the interior space of the vehicle. For the transition from the closed position to the open position, the rear window panel of the vehicle is removed from the side support members of the rear roof element and is placed into the storage compartment. Subsequently, the side support members are pivoted about a spatial axis outwardly so that the space between the two side support members is widened and additional space is provided for moving the front roof element into the storage compartment. The front roof element is then moved along a slide track guide structure between the outwardly pivoted side support members of the rear roof element into the storage compartment. Then the side support members are pivoted inwardly about a second pivot axis which extends essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In the open position of the vehicle roof, the side support members are disposed essentially in transverse direction of the vehicle.
This vehicle roof can only be moved between a closed and a fully open (cabriolet) position. A Targa position, in which only the front element of the vehicle roof is removed, and a Landau position, in which only the rear roof element is removed, is not provided for.
The side support members of the arrangement as disclosed in DE 197 37 259 A1 must each be pivoted about two different spatial axes in order to reach the open, that is the cabriolet, position. This requires a relatively complicated kinematic guide structure for the side support members.
Furthermore, when pivoted outwardly, the side support members extend beyond the contour of the vehicle body, whereby they may collide with objects disposed directly adjacent the vehicle.
The printed publication DE 197 06 417 C1 discloses a vehicle roof which can be converted to a Targa, a Landau and a cabriolet configuration. It has a soft top roof with a fabric-like top cover, which can be folded for placement in a storage compartment. The fabric top cover is supported by a kinematic support rod arrangement. The support arrangement comprises a plurality of frame members and support members, which are movable relative to one another and which can be folded together into a storage position.
On one hand, soft top roofs have the advantage that the fabric-like top cover can be folded together into a relatively small space and that also the space needed for the transfer movement between the closed and the open, that is, the storage positions is relatively small. On the other hand, hardtop roofs are substantially more durable and have better sealing capabilities and a longer life. In comparison with soft top roofs, they are also less likely to be distorted.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a hardtop vehicle roof which can be converted to a Targa, a Landau and also a cabriolet configuration and which requires a relatively small operating space during the opening and closing procedures and a relatively small storage space.
In a hardtop vehicle roof, which includes a front roof element and a rear roof element comprising side support members and a rear window panel, the front roof element is supported so as to be independently movable from the closed position to a storage position in a storage compartment disposed behind the vehicle roof so as to provide for the vehicle a Targa configuration, the rear window panel is independently movable into the storage compartment to provide for a Landau configuration and the front window is deposited in the storage compartment below the rear window panel while the side support members are retracted into side storage spaces to provide for a cabriolet configuration of the vehicle.
This arrangement permits a transfer of the vehicle roof to a Landau configuration in that the rear window panel is moved into the storage compartment and the side support members remain in the closing position. The front roof element remains in the Landau configuration in the original closed position above the passenger compartment. The front roof element is supported in the Landau configuration by the side support members of the rear roof element which also remain in their original position. In this way, the stability of the vehicle in that configuration is improved.
The vehicle roof consequently can have three different open configurations: A Targa configuration, a Landau configuration and a cabriolet configuration. The three configurations can be obtained independently of one another. Especially, the Landau configuration can be obtained with a minimum of control and movement input, since only the rear window panel must be removed from the side support members and placed into the storage compartment. The front roof element and all the other components of the rear roof element, particularly the side support elements remain in the closed position.
If a storage compartment lid is provided a direct kinematic coupling between the movement of storage compartment lid and the movement of a roof elements of the vehicle is not necessary. It is sufficient if the storage compartment lid is raised in a coordinated movement to provide for access to the storage compartment so that the respective elements of the vehicle roof can be transferred during the opening movement into the storage compartment. In case of a kinematically independent movement of the storage compartment lid and the vehicle roof elements, the storage compartment lid can be manufactured to a large degree free of design limitations.
During movement between the closed and open positions, the rear window panel performs preferably a mixed translatory/rotational movement, which is determined by movement control kinematics. The rotational movement component provides for a space-saving storage position of the window panel in the storage compartment, the translatory movement component provides for the movement of the rear window panel from its closed position at the rear end of the passenger compartment to the remote storage compartment.
However, it may also be suitable to provide exclusively for a translatory or exclusively for a rotational movement of the rear window panel to move it between the closed and the open positions.
It is advantageous if the front roof element is connected directly to the vehicle body by way of a link arrangement which includes specifically two joint-guided links, which permit pivoting of the front roof element during transfer from the closed to the storage position by an angle of about 180xc2x0 so that the front roof element is disposed in the storage compartment upside down with the inside of the front roof element being directed upwardly toward the storage compartment opening. Such an arrangement provides for a particularly compact storage volume in the storage compartment. Preferably, the first link of the link arrangement is pivotally connected to the vehicle body and the second link is pivotally connected to the first link and is also pivotally connected to the roof element so that, by way of the three joints of the link arrangement, the front roof element has three degrees of freedom of movement which permit a mixed rotational/translatory movement of the roof element. A direct kinematic coupling between the operating kinematics of the front roof element and the operating kinematics of the rear roof element is not absolutely necessary but it may be provided.
When the front roof element is opened, that is, moved into the storage compartment, the vehicle roof is in a Targa configuration.
In a cabriolet configuration, the front roof element is disposed in the storage compartment below the rear window panel preferably in such a position that the inside of the rear window panel is disposed adjacent the front roof element. In cabriolet configuration also the side support members are contained in suitable storage compartments, especially in storage compartments provided between the B columns and the wheel wells of the vehicle. The side support elements are subjected for that purpose preferably to a mixed translatory/rotational displacement movement and are disposed such that, in a cabriolet configuration position, their outsides are disposed on top. In this way only a relatively small rotational pivot movement is necessary during the transfer into the cabriolet configuration. This simplifies the operating kinematics.